City Council okays P1.6M  aid to towns, cities in Panay

The Cebu City council has approved a financial assistance of P1.6 million for 10 towns and three cities in Panay Island that were devastated by the wrath of typhoon “Frank” last month.

Of the amount, P100,000 will go to each of the towns of Pavia, Estancia, Carles, Dumangas, Janiuay, Mina, Sta. Barbara, Zarraga, Leganes, and Cabatuan, while P200,000 will go to each of the cities of Cadiz, Iloilo, and Roxas.

It was Mayor Tomas Osmeña who proposed to give the donation to these local governments “in the spirit of cooperation of cities trying to help each other.”

Then the council, citing a provision of the Local Government Code, agreed to charge the amount from the city’s calamity funds. It also said that the law authorizes the city government to render financial help to other LGUs that have been declared under a state of calamity.

“A portion of the calamity fund may also be authorized to be used by the LGU concerned to provide financial assistance to other LGUs whose area, or portion thereof, had been declared under a state of calamity by its Sanggunian,” the city council said.

Panay Island was among those badly hit by Typhoon “Frank” that lashed at the country with sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 170 kph. The storm caused landslides and floods, knocked off power lines and blew away roofs, mostly in Central Philippines.

Most of the places in Panay Island were declared under a state of calamity, as its towns and villages were flooded, and tens of thousands of residents were forced to climbed trees and rooftops, and were evacuated.

Osmeña, however, said earlier that the city will not extend any financial assistance to the towns in Cebu province that were somehow badly affected similarly by “Frank,” because these are already rich to be able to address their problem sufficiently.

More than P300 million worth of poultry houses were damaged and poultry products spoilt when “Frank” battered the northern towns of Bantayan, Sta. Fe, and Madridejos.  — Joeberth M. Ocao/RAE